Urban Arbor Care

Wikipedia defines the practice of Urban foresty as the care and management of urban forests, i.e., tree populations in urban settings for the purpose of improving the urban environment. Urban forestry advocates the role of trees as a critical part of the urban infrastructure. Urban foresters plant and maintain trees, support appropriate tree and forest preservation, conduct research and promote the many benefits trees provide.  Urban forestry is practiced by municipal and commercial arborists, municipal and utility foresters, environmental policymakers, city planners, consultants, educators, researchers and community activists.

I talk a lot about how to reduce our use of pesticides and how to sustain an organic landscape.  Part of my job is educating my customers on how to make the change from a landscape which is toxic, reliant on synthetic chemicals and industrialized, to a healthly, environmentally friendly and safe lawn and garden.   

While I can help you with all things green outside, I know very little about the unhealthly chemicals and inefficiencies in our homes.  I was very exicted the day I met Brian Halprin and Brad Lavey from Green Building Services of Michigan.  They are here to guide and aid us in the process of improving the indoor environment.   They can offer help for something as simple as a test to find small drafts and air leaks, all they way to completely rebuilding a home from creaky and old to high tech and efficient. 

Brian and Brad are really great guys.  I trust them and the work they do.

The beautiful bark, graceful form, trembling leaves that rustle in the slightest breeze.  The sound of summer.  The glorious fall color - bright golden yellow contrasts the white bark, dotted with the dark spashes of Evergreen.  In winter they hold like soldiers standing tall.  Waiting to turn again to graceful form when the leaves emerge in Spring. 

 Aspen - a tree to be admired.

Here is a great article to learn all about one of our most beautiful forest trees - Aspen. 

The Bronze Birch Borer is a serious pest of Birch trees in our landscape.  Learn more about this relative of the Emerald Ash Borer and its control strategies. 

While you're at it, read about our stunning native tree, the Paper Birch.